I quite enjoyed the older MGS games but this is HORRIBLE! As usual there's way too many cutscenes and quicktime events (where your character will finish a battle etc. without any input from you). Also the bosses are just horribly frustrating. You're put up against these characters who have crazy over-the-top powers and moves and it's just plain unfair. You have to try again and again untilI quite enjoyed the older MGS games but this is HORRIBLE! As usual there's way too many cutscenes and quicktime events (where your character will finish a battle etc. without any input from you). Also the bosses are just horribly frustrating. You're put up against these characters who have crazy over-the-top powers and moves and it's just plain unfair. You have to try again and again until you manage to chip away at their health to win the battle and it's NOT fun.

This is it for me and MGS games never again this was horrible in every way I am warning you now DO NOT BUY THIS and support such an awful game.…Expand

THIS GAME IS TOTAL **** now then i couldnt even get past the first boss because of the dodgy camera and terrible parrying mechanics it made it near impossible. the slow motion cutting people up was fun as **** but i couldnt get over the dodgy mechanics and poor camera sorry MGS

I adore Metal Gear Solid, and I love Bayonetta. Why not combine the two?
Well, because it will be filled to the brim with poor design choices!
The first issue is the camera. More of the time, the camera stays where it needs to be. However, when fighting multiple enemies or enemies with ranged attacks, I was regularly blindsided by missiles and heavy attacks from offscreen, causing myI adore Metal Gear Solid, and I love Bayonetta. Why not combine the two?
Well, because it will be filled to the brim with poor design choices!

The first issue is the camera. More of the time, the camera stays where it needs to be. However, when fighting multiple enemies or enemies with ranged attacks, I was regularly blindsided by missiles and heavy attacks from offscreen, causing my death on more than one occasion. This is especially prominent during any boss fight in which the boss summons minions. As you fight them, the boss is offscreen, charging its super-death attack, to take down 75% of your health and you have no way to stop them or see it coming.

The second big issue is the lack of feedback the game gives you. The tutorial takes about a minute to explain what is going on, but then abruptly ends, almost like it was unfinished. Then, the game just sorts of throws you into the game with no explanation. Stealth is not explained (and is extremely poorly implemented, almost to say "SEE, THIS IS METAL GEAR, YOU CAN BACKSTAB ENEMIES"), and neither is the game's main selling point: The "Zandetsu". Essentially, you can line up and quickly cut enemies to bits exactly where you want to cut them. Unfortunately, this seems completely pointless, as a single cut using this skill (which operates on a meter, which also was no explained in the tutorial) will kill most enemies. On top of this, the game counts the pieces you cut the enemies into, but I still have no idea if this affects literally any aspect of the game.

Another rather strange problem I had was that the game had no dodge function, and in order to block enemy attacks, you had to essentially be standing still, or had to flick the analog stick in the direction of the attack enemy, then press the attack button. This led to a lot of accidental missteps, as I was sprinting around, trying not to be shot, before being suckerpunched because I couldn't block at the same time quickly.

I THINK the game has some sort of dodge move, because it's listed in the store, but even after I bought and equipped it, I wasn't told how to use it.

Another major issue is the story, which is absolutely abysmal. I assumed that, this being a Metal Gear game, the story would be at least serviceable, but this is absolute trash. They treat is as though it is a sequel to something I should already be completely familiar with, and don't particularly explain who all these people giving me missions are, why they're important, why Raiden teamed up with them, or what exactly he's doing. For the first several hours of the game, I visited Africa, Mexico, and Russia, and had no idea why I was there or who the characters were, despite my best efforts to understand even the basics of the plot. It is absolute goofy gibberish, and is an excuse at best.

So, I really don't understand the love for this game. It is a mediocre-at-best Bayonetta knock-off that is wearing a mask that looks vaguely like Metal Gear Solid. The controls are tight, but the mechanics make little to no sense, the Zandatsu is there basically for eye candy and little else, the plot is nonsensical and pointless and lacks 100% of the intrigue of previous games, and it just feels cheap and aggravating to play, due to being constantly pummeled from just off screen.

I have never played a traditional MG game before, because they do not appeal to me. I was aware that this was an action spin-off, a genre that I am attracted to. DmC is a game that I enjoyed a lot, for example (although that too was far from perfect).

I could not finish this game. I became bored with the gameplay, story and world very quickly.
--Gameplay--
Unlike most action games,I have never played a traditional MG game before, because they do not appeal to me. I was aware that this was an action spin-off, a genre that I am attracted to. DmC is a game that I enjoyed a lot, for example (although that too was far from perfect).

I could not finish this game. I became bored with the gameplay, story and world very quickly.

--Gameplay--
Unlike most action games, in each fight you are able to slow down the action to a crawl by entering "Blade Mode". This allows you to slash the sword in any direction you wish, attacking the enemy. I found this not only intrusive, but also contrary to the fast action that I crave from such a game. When you enter the mode, a box will appear over the enemy's body, in which you are supposed to aim your attack (so you can regain life). This detracts from the danger that usually comes with these games, since every enemy potentially provides a health boost. Using the right stick is clunky at best, and turns the game into some sort of target practice, which I absolutely abhor. The beauty of action (and fighting) games is that you can learn combos and skills and become fluent in utilising them in heated battles. Blade mode completely dispenses with this and therefore all the excitement I usually get from these games.

Aside from blade mode, I was dissatisfied with the other battle mechanics. Two buttons are used, one for a light and one for a strong attack. Fine. Ninja Gaiden also uses this system and it worked. However, when you get the option to equip a "unique" weapon (e.g. you can use a pole as well as your sword), then it turns into a one-button battle system, as each weapon is allocated to one button each. There are some combos to learn (roughly the same in number as in DmC), but the experience is trivialised because of this. Soul Calibur (albeit a fighting game), in contrast, is light years ahead.

The "VR Mission Mode" was largely an unpleasant experience. In some battles, the enemies fired rocket launchers at you before you were able to move. The small area you are placed in makes the dreadful camera much worse to deal with.

The "parrying" (when in fact they mean countering) is a mixed blessing. There is no blocking in this game, and evading is very limited (once you learn it). I was sceptical about this from the offset. Blocking and evading are skills you develop in action games, which add to the adrenaline rush you get from overcoming tricky situations. Removing blocking entirely, and restricting evading, only further dumbs down the battle mechanics. However, the parrying is somewhat well thought out. You have to press the "X" button and move the left stick in the direction of the enemy to parry the attack. Pressing "X" alone to counter would have been fine, but problems arose because of the stick movement. The awful camera, with a mind of its own, makes it very easy to move the stick in the wrong direction, or a direction that is not quite right. Admittedly a bad camera is a complaint of many action games, but movement of the left stick is not so important there. Overall I found "parrying" more of a hassle than it was worth - it was usually better to just polish off enemies before they attacked, especially if you are being swarmed. There is absolutely nothing you can do if more than one enemy is coming at you head on.

Some bosses were a bore to play. I wish games like these would make bosses where you have to utilise your skills in novel, tricky ways (think Dark Souls). Too often (this is a criticism of similar games also), boss fights are extended by meaningless, easy gimmicks that have no relation to the rest of the game - often at times where the boss is unable to be attacked. For example, one boss flies away and hurls items at you. Fine, you have to use blade mode on them to save yourself before they hit you. But challenging it is not. This is Link's Crossbow training, not an action game. Then, the boss throws bigger objects at you, which you simply must run away from. Each of these distractions takes up a few minutes of time, where you are not "battling" anything at all. There is no heat and no adrenaline. I wish developers would stop it.

--Story--
The story is almost parodical. Sonic and Knuckles had a more meaningful story - and I am not being hyperbolic. I won't spoil anything here, but basically, be prepared for "brain transplants", and therefore having to "save the brains".

The characters are somewhat well done, albeit cliche (the cool black guy, the beautiful busty blonde, the mad german scientist). Unfortunately, you only see them if you press "Back" and then initiate a conversation over video-phone. Most interaction with them can be completely avoided, which is advisable, since most of what they have to say is a futile attempt at building character.

A two, solely due to the cutting mechanic and this wad of disappointment should be grateful for even that. Kojima is praised as a genius, but bluntly I think his stories are convoluted, nonsensical, and dumb. Like bad abstract art.

Metal Gear series and hardcore beat 'em ups fans will fall in love with this one. They will even extend their experience by replaying the game. They will have no troubles at all with its highly-problematic camera along with its useless junk in the combat system. They will handle it. Gamers outside the fandom do not need to get excited, there is nothing interesting for them.

Revengeance has moments worth 90/100 but it is surprisingly short and rather shallow. Apparently turbulence during the development process forced the team to make some cutbacks. [CD-Action 04/2013, p.70]

Ultimately Platinum has managed to deliver on the vision that Kojima first announced back in 2009, and it's a roller coaster ride from start to end. The gameplay is the forefront of importance for the genre and it’s there that they’ve certainly managed to deliver.